The project objective is to determine the mechanisms regulating fetal and maternal cortisol production in primate pregnancy. Current areas of interest, using the baboon as a model, include: (1) examination of fetal catabolism of cortisol and its potential role in attaining elevated serum cortisol at term; (2) determination of cortisol biosynthetic pathways in the fetal and newborn adrenal and the factors regulating their activities; (3) identification of urinary cortisol metabolites peculiar to pregnant and newborn baboons; (4) determination of the importance of protein binding and metabolism on the rate of clearance of cortisol.